Farmington Council Adopts City Landscape Ordinance

LAW PRESCRIBES, REGULATES WORK FOR CERTAIN ZONES

FARMINGTON — Commercial developers will have to adhere to a new city landscape ordinance in the future.

The Farmington City Council adopted a 26-page ordinance at its July 8 meeting that prescribes and regulates landscaping for certain zones within the city limits. The ordinance did not include an emergency clause so it will go into effect in 30 days.

The ordinance applies to the following zones: general commercial, highway commercial, multi-family residential, residential office, mobile home park and industrial. It also applies to new multi-lot residential development with a designed entryway and/or parking lot of 60 or more spaces and applies to new parking lots or the expansion of existing parking lots in any zone when the parking will be increased to 60 or more spaces.

The ordinance exempts any individual who builds or remodels a single-family home located in any zoning district.

Judy Horne, a member of the Farmington Planning Commission, has championed a landscape ordinance through the planning commission and onto the city council, and said the new ordinance is a “win-win” situation for everyone.

The ordinance encourages the preservation of trees and Horne said she hopes that means trees will be saved in the community.

“People selling their property for any of these types of developments should not cut down any trees,” Horne said by email. “These trees might be included in the buyer’s landscaping plan and could save them the cost of planting and maintaining new trees.”

Horne said landscaping in front of a property and along its perimeter will make the city of Farmington more attractive to local shoppers and visitors. She added that research shows people prefer to shop more frequently and longer at stores and other businesses with landscaping.

Another benefit of the ordinance, Horne said, is that the city will be in a better position to apply for funds and free landscaping materials through such programs as Tree City USA, Keep America Beautiful, America in Bloom and the Arkansas Parks and Tourism.

The ordinance requires commercial developers to submit a scaled landscape plan prepared by a licensed landscape architect or a certified landscape company for approval by the Farmington Planning Commission. This plan has to show a street frontage buffer, perimeter buffer, proposed parking lot buffer and the landscaping plan for areas immediately adjacent to the front of the building.

The guidelines for each of these areas are spelled out in separate sections in the ordinance.

The ordinance encourages developers to preserve existing vegetation in their landscape plans and allows developers to reduce the number of required new trees and shrubs if they use existing trees on site.

In addition to landscaping guidelines, the ordinance requires that develop- ers install a screening to hide trash or refuse areas, mechanical equipment and walk-in coolers.

The ordinance applies to residential developments in a more limited capacity.

Developers will be required to provide the city with a performance bond, certificate of deposit or letter of credit to ensure full compliance with the landscape installation and to guarantee the plants and trees will survive two years. If the city has to complete the landscaping plan or replace dead landscaping material within two years, then the developer will forfeit the performance bond.

In other action July 8, the council passed an ordinance to vacate a right-of-way easement at 125 Terry St.